Hi. I'm a painter, a writer and a mother of three teenage sons, one with a severe disability. This is a journal: riotously disorganized, full of art, food, children and everyday domestic events. Unless you are a friend or family member you may not be interested, but you are welcome to look. Artists who are parents may find some
common ground here, as well as parents of children with special needs. For art only, see my site: nancybeamiller.blogspot.com

Sunday, December 23

DECORATIONI wonder if it is possible to draw any conclusions about families by looking at how they decorate their Christmas trees? Visiting a friend recently, I realized that her tree was almost completely feminine in nature. Peopled with angels, fairies (like this one), pixies and ballerinas; draped with ribbons, pearls and glittering crystals it is a girly-girl tree if there ever was one! And females do outnumber the males in that household. In my own home, where I am the lone outpost of the female...our tree has a more masculine look: mostly Santas, gnomes, toy soldiers and gingerbread men hanging out here, and red and blue shiny balls.

So, after thinking about this for a while I went out and bought myself a sparkly-winged long-tressed Christmas tree angel! I haven't yet had her infiltrate our He-Tree, but I'm slowly working up the courage.

Thursday, December 20

IN CONCERTI love hearing all the different instruments singing together. Of course I was alert to catch one sweet voice in particular. P is a first violin but there were no solos. I think I may have caught just one recognizable tone or two, hanging in the air. Anyway, the orchestra performed beautifully at their Winter Concert!

Wednesday, December 19

PEACE LIKE A RIVER

For this is what the Lord says: I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of nations like an overflowing torrent; you will nurse and be carried on her hip and dandled on her knees. As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.

Isaiah 66:12-13

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What a beautiful verse! Such a rare and wonderful God-as-a-mother metaphor. But despite all the hymns and songs to the contrary, I've never felt that peace is really a primary association with rivers. They so often seem to be rushing past, filled with dangerous rocks and broken branches and strong currents, flooding their banks and wreaking havoc on the countryside. Peace like a still pond I could understand, or even, peace like a shining puddle after a storm! But then you wouldn't get the beautiful extended metaphor of overflowing blessings pouring upon the land.

Anyway, this is a shot I took yesterday of the Brandywine River in Greenville, Delaware.

Monday, December 17

O THE CHICKEN AND THE IVY...

I was at a party recently with my neighbor who runs this featherheaded flock, and we started chatting with some people who had not met Fay before but knew of her chickens (they're famous in our neighborhood.) "Ah, yes, The Chicken Lady! And now, who are you?" one said, turning to me politely. That was easy: I'm the woman who lives next door to The Chicken Lady!

Saturday, December 8

ANKHS A LOTYes, we made ankh-shaped sugar cookies the other day! A warm-up for the big Christmas Cookie bake-a-thon which is fast approaching. I bought son H an ankh cookie cutter a few months ago when I was at the Brooklyn Museum because he's in an Egyptian phase and their gift shop specializes in all kinds of Egypt chachkas. Finally we found some time to try it out...delicious and festive! I am sure if the ancient Egyptians had thought about it they'd have made ankh cookies too, don't you think? Hey, maybe they did! Here's the recipe.

ANKH COOKIES

Cream together:1 cup softened butter2/3 cup sugar

Beat in:1 egg1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine, then add:2 1/2 cups sifted white flour1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix ingredients till well-blended. Chill dough 3-4 hours before rolling.Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.Roll and cut. (Sprinkle with colored sugar at this point, if you want.)Bake 8-10 minutes or until gently colored.Cool on a rack.Enjoy!

Friday, December 7

PRIMITIVE URGE

days shorter, colder-first fall of snow- shivering-we root and hunker

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For anyone who doesn't want to gain weight, this time from just before Halloween to just after New Year are what I think of as The Danger Days. Our bodies seem pre-programmed to want to pile on last-minute fat to get us through winter into spring. In the northern hemisphere, the seasonal changes alone probably instigate a lot of these urges (less light triggers depression triggers over-eating in many people for instance.) Our culture supports this basic instinct with holiday after holiday that necessitates food and drink and plenty of it. Coincidence? I don't think so.

It is so interesting how humans take the primitive urge and refine it, smelt it into a different yet still recognizable form. I'm not complaining, just pondering. I'd sure rather be a human with a plate of Christmas cookies and a glass of eggnog in my hand than one of these pigs fattening up to be the Easter ham!

Sunday, December 2

EVENING GLOW ON THE HUDSON RIVER

I, the merest speck,peer through a small glass eye, see the large world glowing.

Yesterday was the artist's reception for a show I am currently in at Sherry French Gallery in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City. A beautiful day and here is the stunning view from the gallery's windows. For more info on that show, click here.

November

by Elsa Beskow

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The photographs on this site were taken with either a Canon EOS T3i, a Nikon D-70, an iPhone, or a Canon Powershot SD1000. For photo reproduction/purchase inquiries please contact me at nb (at) genrecookshop (dot) com